Messy Estel
by Beautiful-Chaos-Girl
Summary: Estel wreaks childish havoc in Rivendell's kitchens. Even Dan and Ro never made this much mess! Just a fluffy "Messy kid freaks out tidy parent" story. Please R&R. :)


Elrond sighed and leant back in his chair. Peace and quiet. No paperwork, defence manoeuvres or crises that needed his attention. His sons were silent. Wait… his sons were silent? He looked up from his book. That couldn't be right. He got up and walked around his keep. Some chaos had to be going on somewhere. Suddenly the quiet that had relaxed him only moments ago unnerved him. Didn't people say that when children were quiet they were up to no good….

He peeked into Elladan's room. Empty. Elrohir's was the same. So was Estel's. He looked a little longer until he found the twins in the sitting room, playing chess. Some of his anxiety eased. They looked up at the sound of his entrance.

"Suilaid Ada." (Hello, father) Elrohir said cheerfully.

"We thought you were watching Estel" Elladan remarked, knocking one of Elrohir's knights from the board.

"No I was simply reading when I thought I'd better come and check on you. Wait… did you say you _I _had Estel."

Elrond's face paled. "I thought you had Estel"

The twins paled also.

"No he's not with us" Elrohir said.

The three elves froze for a moment before running of in different directions. Elrond went upstairs, searching frantically. Elrohir ran out into the courtyard. Only Elladan stopped and thought for a moment. Having thought he ran off in the direction of the kitchen. Sure enough…

"Ada! Elrohir! In here!" he called.

They both came running, stopped in the doorway by Elladan. He put his finger to his lips and gestured for them to look inside. They both did so, craning their necks. There, in the middle of the kitchen floor sat Estel. He had a roll of dough, which for some reason was streaked with red, green and blue. The kitchen reeked of peppermint, burnt sugar, lemon and herbs. Flour was strewn around the kitchen, on the floor, the counter tops and wet clumps of it were stuck to the wall. Estel's hair was stiff and thick with flour paste and his face was streaked with an array of food. He was rolling out the dough across the floor, pressing it and squeezing it, completely absorbed in his work.

Elrond stepped cautiously into the room "Estel?"

Estel looked up; beaming at his father and brothers "Ada!" he leapt to his feet, disturbing a cloud of flour. He held out the lump of dough to Elrond "Look what I did!"

"Yes Estel I see." Elrond said, subtly recoiling from the lumpy squishy looking mass. He looked around the kitchen, swallowing his horror. "You certainly have made a big mess haven't you?"

Estel's eyes became sad and his lip wobbled "I didn't mean to Ada. I just wanted to make you something… because you made me something yesterday…." Tears started to well up in his eyes.

"Oh Estel, its okay. I'm not angry at you!" Elrond said quickly desperate to nip a brewing tantrum in the bud. "I _am_ pleased you made me something… I just wish you had asked someone to help you."

Elladan drew close and took Estel up in his arms. "I bet you didn't mean to make all this mess aye? It happened by accident?"

Estel nodded "I didn't wanna spill it… but the bag was too heavy and it slipped…"

"That's because you haven't had a lot of practice at cooking. Do you think I would let you go out on a horse alone or use a broadsword without supervision?" Elrohir added, discreetly picking bits of dough out of his hair. Estel shook his head.

"It's much the same with this. You need help to get good at something before you can do it alone" Elladan told him. As he spoke he took him from the room, mouthing over Estel's head for Elrohir to begin tidying up.

Elrohir raised his eyebrows in silent agreement and began to do so.

"I'll tell you what Estel" Elrond said, taking him from Elladan and ushering him away. "if you have a bath and get all nice and clean, I promise to teach you how to make chocolate lembas bread. Does that sound good?"

Estel nodded gleefully. He clapped his hands together, releasing cloud of white powder. Elrond was absorbed in his cuteness he didn't even notice.


End file.
